Wednesday, May 21, 2008

FLUFFY RHUBARB & QUARK CLAFOUTIS

When spring arrives, I am always very impatient and excited at the prospect of, once again, being able to eat rhubarb. This vegetable is so unique that it is impossible for me not to love it's singular flavor, luscious tanginess and beautiful color...

Rhubarb is a multifaceted delicacy and a gift of nature which is delicious when used to make exquisite desserts, but also to prepare certain savory dishes. Unfortunately, it is only available from April 'til June, so there is no time to lose!

This plant originates from China. It's name was mentioned for the very first time in a 5000 year old book about plants and medicinal herbs. In the 16th century, it was imported into Europe from Asia via Russia. Rome nourished an undeniable interest for rhubarb, but England was the very first country to actually cultivate it widely and massively. In the 19th century, it is said that a gardener from Hamburg brought some plants back from one of the trips to England and that's how it appeared on our latitudes. From this time on, rhubarb has never ceased to grace our gardens and to hold a special place in our hearts as it one of our favorite garden plants.

There are three varieties of rhubarb:

One with green stems, green flesh and a lot of acidity.

One with reddish pink stems, green flesh and less acidity (the favorite kind).

One with reddish pink stems, red flesh and a sweet taste of strawberries (the most sought for).

Rhubarb is good for the health and is a precious source of potassium, calcium, phosphor, iron and many other important mineral substances. It is also rich in vitamine C, E, K and B. Rhubarb is poor in calories as it's mainly composed of water (95%). On the other side, this plant contains oxalic acid, therefore it is better to avoid eating it raw.

Apart from making tarts with rhubarb, one of the best ways to prepare it is to make clafoutis. So, today, I decided to blog about my "Fluffy Rhubarb & Quark Clafoutis" which I have invented on the spur of the moment, using what I had on stock in my fridge and cupboards.

This "free jazz creation" is very similar to a traditional clafoutis, but it is also quite close to a omelet texture-wise as it is somehow fluffy and light. It combines perfectly the sweetness of the batter together with the tartness of the rhubarb, and it is delicately spicy and fragrant thanks to the interesting combination of ginger, cinnamon and long pepper. In one word, this pseudo clafoutis is very pleasant and highly enjoyable!

I hope that you'll like that recipe as much as me and my personal tester did...

Method:1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).2. Thouroughly butter a 25-28cm (10-11 inches) round pan or ovenproof skillet and cover the bottom of the pan with the rhubarb pieces.3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt.4. In a separate small bowl or large mixing cup, combine the eggs, quark, milk, melted butter, Porto, vanilla extract and spices. Whisk well.

5. Beat until thouroughly combined, then whisk into the flour mixture, smoothing out the lumps.6. Pour the batter over the fruit in the prepared baking pan.7. Bake for 35 minutes, then brush the top with the runny honey and continue baking for about 10 more minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the clafoutis is puffy looking.8. Serve.

Remarks:You can easily replace the rhubarb by any other seasonal fruit of your choice.I used a 0% fat Quark, but you can use a less light version or the same quantity of cream cheese.Serving suggestions:Eat warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with extra sugar or with some whipped cream, condensed milk, marple syrup or a ball of the ice cream of your choice (vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, orange, pecan nut, marple, etc...).

I am probably the biggest rhubarb fan! I am usually not so fond of clafoutis but I never tasted it with this ingredient. I should. You're also right about the red variety, it is by far the best one. I was able to find some here in the US a month ago but now, it is again the "boring" green one...